The technology is related to Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) telephone systems which connect telephone calls, deliver text messages and provide other telephony services using data packet communications. In particular, the technology is related to systems and methods of providing users with VOIP-based telephony services under rate plans or rate agreements.
A user wishing to obtain telephony services typically establishes an enduring relationship with one telephony services provider. The user typically agrees to purchase telephony services under a monthly service plan, and the service plan dictates how much the user is charged for the telephony services.
One example would be for a user to agree to pay a monthly fee for a service plan that allows the user to make unlimited telephone calls to telephone numbers within a defined geographical region, such as within their own country. Such a plan might also establish a per minute charge for telephone calls to telephone numbers located outside the defined geographical region. A different per minute charge would typically be specified for telephone calls to different geographical regions. With these types of service plans, the user is forced to establish a long term relationship with the telephony services provider. The service provider usually assigns a telephone number to the user, and bills the user on a monthly basis. Also, specific equipment such as a mobile telephony device that is associated with the telephony services provider must be purchased, leased or otherwise acquired in order to access a dedicated service provider network.
More recently, it is possible for a user to purchase a specified amount of telephony services from a telephony services provider without entering into a long term or enduring relationship with the service provider. For example, it is possible for a user to purchase a specified number of calling minutes which can be used to place telephone calls to telephone numbers within a particular geographical area. Under this type of service plan, each time the user places a telephone call, the total number of minutes used during the call are deducted from the total number of minutes initially purchased by the user. Once the total number of minutes has been used, the user can no longer place telephone calls.
In most instances, when a user purchases only a specified number of minutes from a telephony services provider, simply dialing the telephone number of the party the user wishes to reach is not possible. Instead, the user must first dial an access number, and then input an identification number. This allows the telephony services provider to verify that the user has already paid for a valid service plan, and that the plan still includes unused calling minutes. Once the telephony service provider has verified these items, the user is allowed to dial a telephone number in order to place a telephone call.
These types of telephony service plans are inconvenient for two reasons. First, the user must accomplish a financial transaction with the telephony services provider, or with a third party merchant, in order to purchase the defined number of calling minutes. And the purchase process cannot normally be accomplished quickly and easily via the user's telephony device. Instead, the purchase is done in person at a third party merchant, or online using a web browser which allows the user to interact with an online merchant in order to purchase the rate plan.
Second, once the user has purchased a telephony services plan, the user is forced to dial an access number and provide identifying information before the user is allowed to place a telephone call under the services plan. This process is time consuming and inconvenient.
More recently, some telephony services providers have developed applications which can be downloaded and installed onto a user's mobile telephony device. The application provides an interface that facilitates the user's usage of purchased service plans. Once the user has purchased a service plan from the telephony services provider, the application can be used to easily dial a telephone number to place a telephone call under the rate plan. Thus, the application may eliminate the need to first dial an access number, and to provide identifying information, before it is possible to actually place a telephone call.
However, even when a telephony service provider's application is loaded onto a user's mobile telephony device, the user is still forced to conduct a separate financial transaction with the telephony services provider in order to purchase a service plan. That financial transaction normally requires the use of an Internet browser which interacts with the telephony service provider so that the user can purchase a service plan using a credit card.
Existing telephony service providers are not able to provide a user with an easy, convenient and quick way to purchase a rate plan via their mobile telephony device, where the user can thereafter immediately begin using the purchased telephony services via their mobile telephony device.